The Next Best Thing

"I'm here to see Angie Green, She's my mother," Rachel said, looking over the reception at the small brunette girl. She was very small-framed and looked like she would break if she fell over.

"Okay, we've been waiting for you. She's down the hall and second right, then your first left," she said with a soft voice. She handed her a visitor's card and Rachel thanked her, taking Alex's hand and walked with him towards the hospital room.

They walked in silence, Alex's arm managing to wrap around Rachel's shoulder to provide comfort to her. She accepted it, but at the moment she felt like nobody should touch her. She was scared in case she just broke down, their sympathy causing her to pity herself.

The door was shut, and she could see through the tilted blinds that her sister was there, sitting in the chair beside the window. She was fast asleep, her blonde hair now a jet black, but still short, fell over her face.

Rachel knocked lightly, but heard no answer. She turned back to Alex who gave her a small smile, enough to persuade her gently to go in. That she would be okay. She pulled down on the handle and walked into the room, the smell of freshly washed floors hit her.

"Oh Rachel!" A voice shouted out, and she turned to see her mother. She looked different, but not so much different that Rachel wouldn't recognise her. Her once brown hair was now turning very obviously grey at the roots and no hair dye was going to help that in her current condition. The skin on her face had grown weak, and was almost drooping off her face.

Her eyes, Rachel remembered them to sparkle, even if she disliked her mother, she always remembered those eyes. They were so perfectly blue, Rachel knew where she got hers from, there was no question about it.

"Mum," Rachel said, walked over to the bed to gave her mum a small hug. Her mother reached out, taking her daughter into her arms and embracing her. Rachel felt her stomach turn, the feeling of guilt coming over her. Her mother wasn't horrible, she was just as fragile as the rest of the human race... How could she have thought otherwise?

"It's about time you came, I've been waiting so patiently..." She said, and looked over to her other daughter, smiling weakly at her. "She hasn't left my side," she said quietly and Rachel smiled at her mum, even more guilt flooded her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here," Rachel said quietly, but her mum raised a hand into the air, stopping her.

"I don't want apologies Rachel, I want to hear everything you've been up to and-" She looked up to Alex, her eyes widening when she saw him. "Why, Hello," she said. Alex was taken back, he half expected her to rant at him, to shout and to tell him to get out. But not today, today was a different day.

"Hello, Angie," he said and she smiled at him. Alex felt shock overcome him, this wasn't like her at all.

"I didn't realise it was you," Angie said, honestly. She patted the end of her bed, letting him sit down. He nodded in appreciation and sat down, laying a hand on Rachel's leg, letting her know he was there. "I have to say, you're not the naive young boy I saw before," she laughed. "You certainly have grown into a handsome young man!"

Alex laughed, embarrassment showing as his cheeks grew a deep red. He smiled at her, and noticed how lovely she could be. But something was burning in his stomach, he knew something was wrong, that something might go wrong.

"So mum, how are you doing?" Rachel asked, changing the conversation.

"Erm, I'm not entirely sure. It's difficult to explain..." She started, and Rachel instantly knew she had started lying.

"Mum, stop lying. It's not fair on us, you need to tell us the truth," Rachel said softly. She took her mother's hand in hers. Her bones were jutting out, something else she remembered; her mother's witch-like hands. But right now, they were just hands that reminded you of someone frail.

"Okay, okay," she sighed and Rachel looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "It's worse than they thought. I started blacking out... And they took me in. You've got to promise me you won't get angry with me?"

Rachel nodded her head. "Okay, I promise."

"It's not the first time this has happened. Three years ago, I had breast cancer." She started. Rachel bit her lip, an anger boiled up in her, but she wasn't allowed to get angry. She had promised.

"Why didn't you tell us?" She asked. Her mum shrugged her shoulders, not sure of how to explain.

"I didn't feel the need, It was little and I got over it. I recovered well," she said. But then she paused and looked away. "Or so I thought."

"So what's happening now?"

Angie looked up, her eyes were tear-filled and hurt. She didn't know how to explain it, she didn't know how to tell her daughter the truth.

"It's difficult..." she sighed. Rachel waited, the anticipation killing her. "They don't think this time there's anything they can do. It's spread everywhere," she whispered.

"Mum!" Rachel shouted out, the tears that once filled her eyes were now streaming down her face. Alex looked away from them, the guilt of not letting Rachel see her mother hit him hard. How was he supposed to know though? They had fought like cat and dog since the day he had known them.

"Rachel, I don't think this time there's anything going to save me. I'm..." she stopped, and looked into her daughters eyes. "I'm dying, Rachel."